Phillips back for Southampton

Kevin Phillips returned to the Southampton line-up for this afternoon’s encounter with Manchester City – but there was still no place in Harry Redknapp’s squad for James Beattie, whose departure from St Mary’s is due to be confirmed in the next 72 hours.

Phillips’ introduction for Dexter Blackstock was the only change to the Saints side which slipped to a single goal defeat at Liverpool four days ago, a result that kept the south coast outfit second from bottom.

Past history suggests the visitors can expect a change in fortune against City though.

Only once in the last six meetings between the pair in Manchester have the hosts prevailed and, having extended a miserable overall home record with a mystifying draw against shot-less West Brom on Tuesday, Kevin Keegan’s side did not go into the game in the best of moods.

Keegan also made one change, Ben Thatcher returning from a two-month absence to replace ankle injury victim Stephen Jordan, while Steve McManaman was back on the bench despite not fully recovering from a long-standing Achilles complaint.

Man City: James, Mills, Distin, Dunne, Thatcher, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Barton, Bosvelt, Sibierski, Fowler, Anelka. Subs: Macken, Onuoha, McManaman, Waterreus, Flood.

Southampton: Niemi, Telfer, Jakobsson, Higginbotham, Cranie, McCann, Oakley, Prutton, Delap, Ormerod, Phillips. Subs: Dodd, Anders Svensson, Smith, Crouch, Fernandes.

Referee: C Foy (Merseyside)